KIRKLAND, Wash, May 6, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- In the 1950s, Jackie Robinson crossed the color lines and became the first black baseball player in the Major Leagues, changing history and the face of the game forever. Now, a female baseball player tries to make the same leap in the new novel, titled The Ninth Man (now available through 1stBooks Library), by Bill Pennabaker.
In Pennabaker's novel, the owner of a fledgling minor league baseball team, the Portland Power, concocts an idea to help his team and city. He thinks a woman player will sell tickets and convince the Major League Baseball Commission that Portland should be awarded a Major League franchise.
Casey Collins becomes the first woman in the minors with her eyes set on the big leagues. There are obstacles set along her path that she must overcome like politics, sexism and the athletic challenges of competing in a male dominated sport. She must avoid the superficial Bud Harley, the team owner who sees her as merely a publicity ploy and Turk Roberts, the team's star and her nemesis who vows to get her off the team. Through the negativity, she manages to develop a locker room romance with the Power's quirky relief pitcher, Mooch Moran.
A cross between Bull Durham and A League of Their Own, The Ninth Man is a testament to talent and the determination to stand strong in the face of adversity.
Pennabaker is a graduate of Penn State University. He lives with his wife, Marivic, in Kirkland, Wash., where he is currently working on the screenplay version of The Ninth Man, his first novel. A sequel, Ninth Man II: The First Woman, is currently in the works.
ABOUT 1STBOOKS LIBRARY
The only profitable print-on-demand and eBook publishing company of its kind, 1stBooks Library was founded in 1997 and has helped more than 15,000 authors publish their works. For more information, visit www.1stbooks.com and click the "Media" image at the top of the page.